This invention relates to a disk drive device for reproducing a disk on which signals are optically or magnetically recorded or writing signals on a disk and, more particularly, to a technique for loading a disk in such a disk drive device.
A magneto-optic disk capable of reading and writing a signal thereon, for example, is usually received in a caddy and is loaded in a disk drive device in the state received in the caddy. The caddy has a shutter for opening and closing an opening for exposing a disk surface on which signals are recorded and, in the state loaded in the disk drive device, this shutter is opened. The disk in the disk drive device is rotated by a turntable which is attracted to the central portion of the disk by magnetic force. Signals are recorded on or read from the disk by a pickup head moving in the radial direction of the disk through the opening of the caddy.
As a loading device for pulling in the caddy into the disk drive device and moving it to a disk drive position, a loading device of a type which inserts the caddy directly into the disk drive device is generally used. For example, in a loading device shown in FIG. 16, a caddy C containing a disk D is moved in a horizontal direction to a position above a traverse unit 112 having a turntable 110 and a pickup head 111 and then the caddy C is lowered to cause a portion-to-be-chucked 113 provided in the central portion of the disk D and consisting of a magnetic material to be attracted to the turntable 110. The caddy C on the traverse unit 112 is held in the disk drive position by engaging of a positioning pin 114 provided on the traverse unit 112 in a positioning hole 7 formed in the rear portion in the loading direction of the lower portion of the caddy C. There is also a prior art loading device in which, as shown in FIG. 17, a traverse unit 112 is pivotably supported on one side thereof to a frame and is located in a lowered position before insertion of a caddy C. When the caddy C has been horizontally moved to a position above the traverse unit 112, the traverse unit 112 is pivoted upwardly to cause a portion-to-be-chucked 113 to be attracted by a turntable 110.
In both of the prior art loading devices, for moving the caddy C in the device, a hook (not shown) is engaged in one of hook holes 6 formed typically in side surfaces of the caddy C and this hook is driven by a motor to move the caddy C along a guide (not shown).
In any of the prior art loading devices, the turntable 110 is attracted by magnetic force to the portion-to-be-chucked 113 of the disk D and, therefore, an operation immediately before attraction of the turntable 110 must be made instantly. Since, however, the direction of the horizontal displacement of the caddy C and the direction of movement of the portion-to-be-chucked 113 to match the turntable 110 are largely different from each other, it is difficult to change the operation as a series of continuous operation without a break. If an error takes place in a position and timing of change in the operation, the disk D will not be chucked correctly by the turntable 110 and this will cause malfunction in the disk drive.
Further, in the prior art loading device in which the caddy C is pulled in by engaging the hook in the hook hole 6, the caddy C tends to be pulled in to an inclined posture due to clearance produced between the caddy C and the guide portion. If the disk D reaches the drive position in this state, the portion-to-be-chucked 113 will not be in register with the turntable 110 and a malfunction in chucking will take place.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a disk drive device in which a traverse unit can be accessed smoothly and accurately to a disk in a caddy loaded in the disk drive device.